Areas of Practice

Study Permits

Matthew spent 10 years of his career supporting international students in transitioning to Canada and understanding Canadian immigration regulations once here. He has a big heart for the challenges faced by international students. (He’s an international student in Argentina right now as well!)

The most challenging type of application that international students face is the initial study permit application, since refusals are sadly too frequent. He also supports study permit extensions for those who require them, because educational pathways often evolve after arrival in Canada.

Work Permits

The two broad categories of Canadian work permits are open and employer-specific.

Matthew has worked with clients on a range of work permit needs, including Intra-company Transfers (with exemptions to Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs), Bridging Open Work Permits, Employer-Specific Work Permits (non-LMIA and LMIA), and Post-Graduation Work Permits.

Permanent Residence

The vast majority of Canadian temporary residents (i.e., workers, students, visitors) that Matthew has worked with have intended to pursue status as a Permanent Resident (PR) of Canada.

Matthew’s practice naturally proceeded to include support through this transition, predominantly through Express Entry (Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Worker Program, and the Federal Skilled Trades Program) and the Ontario Provincial Nominee Program.

Family-Class Sponsorship

Spousal sponsorship was the Canadian immigration application that Matthew and Igor first encountered—as sponsor and primary applicant.

It is thus a heart-warming experience each time Matthew has worked with clients undergoing the process formally known as family reunification, which is one of the pillars of Canada’s immigration system.

Citizenship

Although one is not obligated to transition from permanent resident to citizen, most do, because they are eager to increase their civic engagement through voting and the ease of travel via a Canadian passport.

Temporary Resident Visas (TRVs)

One frustration for many is the process of obtaining a visa to visit Canada—whether for tourism or a conference, for a parent wishing to attend their child’s graduation, or for an exploratory trip before making the decision to apply for permanent residence.